NEET next week, deemed med colleges to conduct admissions separately

7/18/2016

With the second phase of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) taking place in ten days, students aiming at admissions to private and deemed institutes are facing uncertainty. While private medical and dental institutes will be part of a centralised admissions process, deemed institutes have decided to conduct admissions separately. This means, students will have to individually apply to each of the ten deemed institutes in the state to be eligible for a seat.

“The entire purpose of conducting NEET examinations was to bring all medical and dental institutes under the same process. If deemed institutes are not included in the centralised process, then what’s the use of giving another entrance test?” asked one of the medical aspirants. Students and parents have been trying to reach out to the new medical education minister. Thousands of students from the state are going to appear for the NEET on July 24 and are now unsure if the test will help then secure a seat in medical and dental institutes in the state.

When HT contacted the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), the officials were aware of this problem. “Only the deemed institutes are demanding separate process of admissions which will be unfair to students. We have requested the central government to look into this matter. It’ll be only fair to bring all institutes in the state under the same rule,” said Dr Pravin Shingare, director, DMER. He added that the directorate is yet to hear from the central government about the same.

Parents of students from across the state are coming together now to raise their voice against the same. “How many entrance tests are our kids expected to give? What’s worse is these institutes will also start demanding fees on a whim, which will leave us in a bigger problem. The government needs to step in,” said one of the parents.